A New Start
by goalattack
Summary: When an old face returns to Tactical Response, Sergeant Joshua's feathers are ruffled.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone.  
I have had a busy couple of days writing which has been fantastic. I have also been trawling through some old files while I had the time and I found this little fic that I think I put together about a year ago. It's all finished so I'll be putting it up over the next few days.

Enjoy.

* * *

**A New Start**

"I just got word from Inspector Vincent. New guy starts today. Should take some of the pressure off our end."  
"They any good?" Brendan Joshua asked, concerned at the time it would take to train a new member of tactical response when they were already short staffed.  
"Apparently they're experienced. Senior Constable with a TR background I think she said."  
"Better be good Browny" Josh shot back getting into TR1 "We don't have the time to train an idiot."  
"Oh I'm good. Question is can you keep up?" Grace Reid walked over in jeans, a singlet and a cardigan.  
"What are you doing here?" Josh asked, staring at her.  
"I'm the new bloke" she explained. "I moved back to Melbourne a few months ago…Kerri offered me my old job back."  
"Great. Welcome back. Go and get changed."  
Senior Sergeant Christopher Brown, the sergeant in charge of Tactical Response turned to Josh concerned as Grace walked upstairs "I take it she's just a pretty face then?"  
"No. She's a bloody good cop" Josh turned to him, instantly sticking up for her. "She knows her stuff and she's an asset. Just don't expect me to ride with her. Not today anyway." Josh slammed the car door shut, going to check the equipment in the back of the car.

Grace waited until Josh was in the change rooms that afternoon after their shift, going in and closing the door behind her. "Josh?"  
"What Grace?"  
"Can we talk?" she asked, removing her vest so that she was just in her trousers and blouse, throwing it on the bench.  
"Nothing to say."  
"I'm sorry about this morning. I should have called you, given you a heads up."  
"That's a great idea Grace…a phone call would have been nice. I dunno, anytime in the last three years would have been good."

"Days? How does Grace get a month of days while I get a whole heap of shit?" Senior Constable Michael Sandrelli queried reading his new roster, a copy of which had been placed in his locker the following morning.  
"Out of my hands" Chris put his hands up defensively. "Inspector Vincent's orders on that one."  
"It's bullshit" slamming his locker closed. "No weekends either."  
"We needed new crew and she's only available days. It's out of both of our control and it's still better than we were two weeks ago so I'd shut up."  
Grace walked in a little while later, getting her stuff together for a shower before her shift started.  
"Hey Gracie, how did you score so well on the roster?"  
"Ah Mum's not well" she called out getting into the shower. "I've got to be around of a night and I can't get the nurse on weekends." She explained turning the water on.  
"Josh won't be happy" Michael observed smiling.  
"Josh can get fucked. It's none of his business."  
"Harsh words Gracie" Michael laughed.  
"You'll live," she snapped back.

"Hello baby" Grace smiled, bending down to pick up the three year old who had run to the door to greet her, kissing his soft hair as she hugged him to her. "What did you do today?" she asked, moving him to her right hip as she locked the door behind her.  
"Went on the swings" he told her cuddling into her side as she walked through the house and into the kitchen.  
"I'm sorry I'm late Nessa. I was in the middle of a negotiation, I couldn't get away."  
Graces nanny Vanessa Alexander smiled. "It's fine Gracie. I don't mind. Not like I have anywhere else to be" she laughed.  
"Oh no. What happened to the Italian Stallion?" Grace laughed, having been filled in on the gossip by her nanny just a few days earlier.  
Vanessa pulled a face "Turned out to be a big of a nag."  
"Damn. The hot ones always are I guess" Grace laughed, sitting Justin on the kitchen bench. "How was he today?"  
"Really good. We went down to the park for a couple of hours, fed the ducks and went on the swings and then we swung by the library and picked some books for you two tonight."  
"Thank you" she smiled appreciatively. "And thanks for starting dinner. You're worth more money."  
"Gracie you already pay me too much" she shook her head going to grab her bag from the lounge room.  
"And you're worth every cent. You're a lifesaver. I'll see you tomorrow?"  
"Of course. Seven?"  
"Yeah" putting Justin down who ran into lounge room to wave goodbye. "Have a good night."  
"You too. See you both."  
"Byeeeee Nessa" Justin squealed before running back over to Grace hugging her legs. "Ben 10?" he asked looking up at her hopefully.  
"After dinner, maybe" she smiled picking him back up. "Do I get a proper cuddle now?"  
He grinned at her cheekily before throwing his arms around her neck tightly.

At around seven thirty that night there was a knock on Graces front door, Grace putting the book she'd been reading to her now asleep son on the bedside table and tucking him in, switching off the lamp and going out to answer the door.  
"Josh?" she asked, surprised to see him at her front door, stepping outside to talk to him closing the door behind her leaving it open just a crack. "What are you doing here?"  
"We've been called in. Grab your stuff."  
"I can't."  
"Bullshit. You're not even at your mothers' house."  
"I don't work nights Josh. I'm finished my shift."  
"For fucks sake Grace get your bag. Is this some kind of conditions of you coming back to TR? You've promised Conor you'll be a good girl and only work banker's hours?"  
"No" she gave him a look. "It's part of being a single mum who cannot leave her three year old son alone to look after himself at the drop of a hat" she glared at him, instantly pissed off at herself that she'd told him.  
"You've got a kid?" Josh's jaw nearly hit the ground in surprise instantly mellowing. "A three year old?"  
Grace nodded. "Not that it's anyone's business."  
"And you're doing it on ya own?" he queried. "You ok?"  
"Fine. Don't you have a job to go to?"  
"Yeah… um…yeah.." Josh shook his head as he refocussed. "We'll call someone else in. Um.. goodnight."  
Grace stepped back inside without another word, locking the door behind her. She'd attempted to talk to Josh on multiple occasions since she'd returned to tactical response and each time she had been given the brush off.

* * *

"So this kid.." Josh started, walking over to her in the change rooms the following morning.  
"I don't want to talk about him Josh" she shook her head pulling her vest on over the top of her uniform.  
"Three years Gracie… is he mine?"  
"Oh for Gods sake Josh" Grace shook her head in disgust walking away from him. "Just leave me alone."  
He followed her out "You can't just tell me you have a kid and then announce end of discussion. It doesn't work that way!" he grabbed her arm to stop her.  
Grace jumped at the firm contact, her wrist going limp in his. "Let go of me" she told him firmly, looking him in the eye.  
"Nup" he shook his head. "Answer my question."  
"Let go of me Josh" she repeated, her voice dropping to a whisper.  
"Do I have a son?" he clutched her wrist tighter.  
"You're hurting me" she whimpered.  
"Do I?" he loosened his grip slightly.  
"He's not yours" she whispered, tears running down her cheeks as she pulled her hand from his grasp going outside quickly.

"Ahhh Grace is crying out the back" Michael told Josh quietly twenty minutes later when he arrived for work.  
"Not my problem anymore mate" Josh shrugged it off as Michael shook his head going up to the offices. Josh lasting another few seconds before going out to check on her.

Grace was just finishing composing herself, standing near the back door wiping her eyes with a tissue before pulling her simple ponytail tighter against her head.  
"He's not yours Josh" she reaffirmed as he came out. "He's Conors son. When we got to Sydney, he made me have a paternity test…but I always knew he wasn't yours." She sat back down on the steps that led into the back staff room.  
"You were pregnant when you left?" he confirmed in disbelief.  
She nodded. "I didn't know, not until they ran tests at the hospital. I had no idea. I'd just confessed…just told Conor that I was in love with you and the doctor came in. I knew straight away he wasn't yours Josh. My body would have told me if I was pregnant with your child."  
"So you just packed up and left?"  
"I was having his baby Josh. I couldn't take that away from him. I agreed to give it another chance."  
"In Sydney?"  
"That's where Conors family are. He wanted a fresh start…He didn't want me anywhere near you. I guess he was worried I wouldn't be able to stop myself…and he's right…I wouldn't have."  
"And you just went along with this? You let him take you away from your friends, your life, your job…me?" he sat down on the step two below the one she was sitting on, looking up at her.  
"I was pregnant Josh. I would have had to leave TR anyway. And you… we weren't ready to raise a kid and I'd never expect you to raise one that wasn't yours!"  
"And now? What? You're a single mum back here. What do you want Grace?"  
"It didn't work out. I moved back to Melbourne a few months ago. My families here and my friends and I always hated Sydney. I had no intentions of coming back to TR until I ran into Kerri at the shops. She told me you were desperate for skilled officers. She promised me day shifts, said it would at least lighten the load off you all. I wasn't planning on showing back up here Josh but I needed a job and I'm good at this" Grace nursed her wrist tenderly in her other hand, guarding it with her body. "If it's going to make things hard for you I will resign. I never came here to get you back or for any other reason than I needed a job."  
"Did I really hurt you? Before?" he checked, his eyes still on her wrist.  
She nodded, tucking her arm so it rested just under her ribs. "I broke it five months ago. It's healed well but it's still a bit sore. You weren't to know."  
"What did ya do?"  
"I fell down some wet steps out the front of our house. Bloody hurt."  
"I'm sorry..I didn't know. "  
She nodded. "I know you didn't. I'm fine. I think it was more the fright than anything. Look… do you want me to leave?"  
Josh shook his head instantly "No. You need the money Grace. You've got a kid. You've got to afford rent and food and stuff. Stay."  
She nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Thank you. I've really missed this work. I've been in dispatch for three years and I'm now one hundred percent certain that I never want to work in a desk job again."  
"Right" he nodded.  
"Josh… this may be a firm no…but can we at least try and be mates or civil, just on the job? I know it's not going to be easy and I don't expect anything…but we can't work together like we have been. We're so busy fighting that someone's gonna get hurt soon….I can't afford it to be me and I really don't want it to be you."  
"I'll be nicer" he reassured with a nod.  
"I wanted to call you.." she started to explain but Josh cut her off.  
"No. Don't. I don't want to hear it Grace. You left. You made a choice. I don't want to hear any of that. You're back now and that's OK. I can deal with that. But don't patronise me by pretending that you wanted to make contact."  
She nodded, surprised that Josh, who had so often been short with others would be so short with her as well. "OK…I get it." She moved to stand up. "I won't mention it again. I'll see you inside."


	2. Chapter 2

**A New Start**

Thanks to everyone who has been reading. A special thanks to K and HeartBradleyJames for all your lovely comments on my various works!

**Chapter 2**

Over the next few months both Grace and Josh made a huge effort to put the past behind them, eventually getting to a point where most of the time they could work together not only harmoniously but as a team even stronger than they had been almost four years previously, both instinctively having each other's back and knowing what the other was going to do, covering each other's tracks.  
Grace hadn't pushed to establish any friendships and kept true to her word that she wouldn't chase a friendship with Josh outside of her working hours and was yet to have even a single drink with the crew after a shift, always claiming she had to rush home to her sick mother. It was an outright lie she knew, but she couldn't bear any of the squad to think she was any less capable of performing the job or taking risks because she had a young child at home. Grace Reid was very different to the Grace that Michael, Leon & Josh remembered. Gone were the days of endless overtime and crazy games over a boring nightshift. These days Grace couldn't wait to finish work, she had something to go home for.

On a quiet afternoon when the most junior constable had called in sick and it was just Grace & Josh in the vehicle Josh turned to Grace as she drove along St Kilda road. "What's his name?"  
Grace smiled "Justin."  
"Cute" he remarked, grinning at her.  
"There's a photo in my wallet… grab it out?"  
Josh reached into her bag for her wallet, smiling at the small child in front of him. "He's got your big brown eyes."  
Grace bit her lip, remembering his words from four years ago. "No blonde ponytail…" she smiled thinking of her sons dark brown hair "...but he's definitely stubborn" she swallowed hard.  
"He's got your cheeks too..but Conors nose. And he's healthy?"  
"He's great Josh. Could run around all day , endless energy. He's starting preschool in a few months… God help his teachers. Nessa, my sitter, she tries to run him ragged for me but he's still full of energy when I get home."  
"I knew you'd make a great mum."  
"I'm not great by any means" she laughed "Ninety percent of the time I have no idea what I'm doing. But he's a good, happy kid so I guess I'm doing OK."  
"I know you. You'd be doing a good job."  
She gave him a half smile. "Thanks."  
"You should tell the others. "  
"I'd prefer not to."  
"Why's that?"  
"People act differently Josh. I don't want someone making a decision for me because I have a kid I have to get home too. They take unnecessary risks."  
"Because they care."  
"No because that's what they think they have to do. Josh, we do a bloody dangerous job and I know exactly what that can mean…if something goes wrong. But we control as much as we can. I've grown up a lot in four years Josh. I know when to stop. I wouldn't go off the side of a building on a negotiation now…but I would probably still run into a burning building if someone from our team was in there." She admitted.  
"No one would treat you differently" he argued.  
Grace laughed. "So say there's a hostage situation and there's you and there's me left with a gunman who looks like he's going to shoot. You wouldn't be negotiating like hell to get me out of there?"  
"That's different."  
"How?" looking at him briefly while stopped at lights.  
"It's you."  
"Exactly!" she laughed.  
"No. It's nothing to do with you being a Mum Grace. Go back even six years to when you first started…I would have done the same then."  
"Well maybe you're the wrong example?" she argued.  
"You think Muppet would do that? He'd be hell bent on getting himself out, if you got out too that's just a plus."  
She laughed at the thought. "Ok maybe you have a point. I don't know...I just don't want Justin common knowledge. I don't want him being targeted if something went wrong...it's just easier to work around it all."  
"I get that" he nodded. "What would happen…if something did go wrong?"  
"Mum and Dads" she confirmed.  
"Not Conor?"  
Grace's knuckles went white as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. "He's still in Sydney. He'd probably fight for him…but no. He'd go to Mum & Dads."  
"What happened in Sydney Gracie?" he prodded.  
Grace had never been more relieved to hear Leon's voice pipe up over the radio giving them a call out. "Tell him we're ten minutes off" Grace instructed flicking the sirens on and quickly changing lanes to avoid some traffic.  
Josh relayed Grace's instructions to Leon, watching her drive for a couple of minutes. "Grace?"  
"Not now. I'm concentrating."  
He sighed and shut his mouth.

That afternoon Grace had collected her stuff and was well on her way home before Josh got a chance to press her further for details, having a good run home getting in twenty minutes earlier than normal.  
"MUMMY" Justin squealed as she came up behind him and tickled him.  
Grace laughed sitting down to play with him. "Did you have a good day baby?"  
"Yeah" he nodded, already laying his toys out in front of her.

"How good's your sitter?" Josh asked in the change rooms three days later.  
"She's my lifesaver" she replied pulling a singlet on over her bra. "Why?"  
"Get her to babysit tomorrow night. Come out with us?"  
"For your birthday?" she raised her eyebrows to let him know she remembered.  
"Yeah. For my birthday. C'mon. You can't say no to the birthday boy. You deserve a night out Grace."  
Grace shrugged pulling a cardigan over her singlet. "I don't know. Maybe? Where are you going?"  
"We're starting at the Cambridge… c'mon I'll shout you dinner?"  
"It's your birthday. You don't shout. We shout you."  
"So you'll come?"  
"I'll try and sort something out. Nessa's got a life too you know. "

Grace arrived at the pub just after seven the following night, her hair out and straightened and wearing a simple white lace dress with a black band just below her breasts. Her makeup had been applied meticulously but looked natural and those in the unit that had never seen Grace out of uniform were having a hard time not staring as she walked over to the table they were all sitting at, putting a friendly arm around Josh's shoulder and kissing his cheek. "Happy Birthday. Sorry I'm late." "No worries. Just glad you came. We've ordered though.."  
She shook her head "It's fine, I had something not long ago."  
"If you pull up a chair you can pick off mine" he offered.  
"It's all good" she smiled going to grab a glass of wine before pulling up a chair up the other end where there was more space chatting to the team as they ate.

When dinner was finished they moved back into the bar area, Grace disappearing for a while before coming back with two beers, putting one down on the small table in front of Josh.  
"Wow" as she sat down on the bar lounge beside him.  
"Wow what?" he laughed, reaching out to tap his glass against hers.  
"I just realised, this is my first beer in over four years…"  
"Wow" he agreed sitting back against the padded material. "Can you stay long?"  
"As long as I like. Justin's at Mums. They'll be spoiling him rotten…he's never had a sleepover before but I just called and he's gone down alright."  
"So you'll get trashed with me?"  
She grinned and nodded. "Sounds good. Um…this is for you" she added, sliding a card out of her bag and handing it to him. "Happy Birthday."  
"You didn't have to do that."  
"It's not much…" she said as he opened the card and two tickets to the football fell out. "You still go, right?"  
He smiled still reading the card before looking up. "I haven't….not for a long time. I've missed it. It's great…thank you."  
"I can shove it in my bag, save you carrying it?"  
"Thanks" he smiled giving it back to her. "You look really pretty tonight."  
Grace felt herself blushing, very grateful for the dim lighting in the bar area. "Thanks. It's from my pre-mum collection" she laughed it off.  
"Well you look hot. What do you call it? You're a MILF!"  
"What's a MILF?" she asked laughing softly.  
"Mother I'd like to.." he trailed off as Grace cut him off.  
She put her hand over his mouth with a laugh, "Forget it. I don't want to know."  
He laughed pulling her hand off his mouth. "Looks like Taddys's got the pool table. Fancy a game?"  
"I'm out of practice but sure" getting up going over to the tables with him.

"Ok…so now I've warmed up…we'll smash you this game" Grace announced after two games of Hannah, known as Tadpole or 'Taddy' by the unit, at twenty two TR's newest recruit, and her getting demolished by Josh and an increasingly cocky Michael. "Line 'em up. I'll go and get us another round."  
"What's going on there Josh?" Hannah grinned at him cheekily. "You haven't taken your eyes off her all night."  
"None of your business Taddy."  
She turned to Michael questioningly. "They used to fuck" he shrugged. "They'll sort 'emselves out eventually. Are you two getting back together?" he asked Josh grinning.  
"Shut your trap Michael."  
"Someone's keen," Taddy laughed. "And I reckon she's interested. This is the first time she's ever come out with us. Bit of a coincidence that it's your birthday, don't you think?"  
"You shut yours too" he warned but he was smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

Good Evening all,

Just a quick apology for any confusion about who is in TR currently. To be brutally honest I didn't really plan it out as closely as I have in some other stories. I did write this over a year ago so I'm sure I had some reason then) but here is the TR team:

Christopher (Snr Sgt)- From memory, I couldn't keep Lawson because he would have known that Grace was coming back and he would have definitely told Josh.

Josh (Sgt)

Grace (Snr Constable)

Michael (Snr Constable)

Stella (Snr Constable)

Hannah (aka Taddy- because she's new, like a tadpole) (Constable)

Leon

Anyway, I hope that clarifies things a little. Please don't worry too much as the others don't make a huge appearance in the story. I need to get myself to a point where I can actually write a good action fic; if anyone has any tips please share them.

But for now; on with the story.

* * *

**A New Start- Chapter 3**

Grace was queuing for drinks for ages, Josh eventually shaking his head. "You two start, I'm gonna go give Grace a hand carrying drinks.  
Going over to the bar Josh couldn't see Grace as he skimmed his eyes over the bar. He looked back over to the pool table and shrugged, leaning back against one of the supports waiting for her to come back to the bar. After five minutes his eyes caught the petite blonde struggling against the grip of a young man in his mid-twenties as he pushed her back against the wall in the corridor leading back from the bathrooms.  
"Get the hell off me" she yelled as his lips forced themselves against her, shoving him hard. "I'm not interested you prick."  
He said something back to her that Josh was unable to hear, grinding his hips against hers before he was pulled off her aggressively and in one swift movement, finding himself pinned against the opposite wall before he could react.  
"You keep your fucked up hands off her you hear me? You don't get to touch her. Didn't you hear her telling you to back off?"  
The guy laughed. "She just needs a little convincing...that's all."  
Josh shoved him harder against the wall. "You stay away from her."  
"I'm fine Josh" Grace protested in the background. "Let him go."  
"You're lucky she is" he pushed him once more. "You go near her again and you won't be let off so lightly. Now piss off out of here. Go home." Josh let him go, pushing him away back to the bar area before turning back to Grace. "Are you OK?"  
She nodded leaning back against the wall, brushing her hair back from her face. "Yeah, I'm OK. I should head off."  
"You're shaking" he observed, pulling her into his arms protectively. "You're ok. Don't let him ruin your night."  
She took a few seconds to pull herself together, putting her arms around Josh's waist and giving him a squeeze to let him know she was alright. "I'm ok now" she whispered a minute later when he still hadn't let go of her.  
He released her slowly, one hand still resting on her hip.  
"For the record… I totally had the situation under control," she smiled slightly.  
"Yeah I could tell" he agreed, tongue in cheek, "Just being over protective."  
"Thanks" she whispered.  
He nodded back at her. "You should stay… just one more game. He won't come near you."  
"No…no I should just go home."  
"He's not going to hurt you Grace. Not while I'm around. If he even looks at you I'll deck him."  
"Don't say that. I don't want you to hit anyone Josh."  
"If someone hurts you I'm going to hurt them."  
"Just.. Stop it. Ok. I don't want to hear that. It doesn't make me feel safe Josh, just scared you'll get hurt. OK? Stop it." She told him off. "I'm gonna go."  
Josh nodded at her words, forcing himself to calm down for her benefit. "One more drink?" he offered. "Then we can share a cab?"  
She let out a breath and nodded. "One more drink" she agreed, going back with him to the bar, buying the round she had promised earlier, sticking close to Josh as they walked back past the guy from the toilets. "I'm getting too old for this" she laughed setting the drinks down on the table.  
"Old. You're not even thirty!" Michael laughed. "  
"Mmmm maybe out of practice then," she took a mouthful of her beer.

One last drink turned into at least three more before Grace turned to Josh. "I'm gonna head home. Enjoy the rest of your night."  
He shook his head "I'll come with you," getting up. "We're off" letting the others know.  
Michael laughed "I knew you'd leave together."  
Grace rolled her eyes "Like you and Taddy won't be leaving together?" having watched Michael trying hard all night, the only one to have picked up on it, Taddy completely oblivious to her mates attention.  
"As if" Taddy laughed. "In his dreams! Have a good night guys."  
Josh laughed when they queued up for a cab. "The two of them? Really?"  
"Oh come on Josh, he was trying all night. You're slipping if you didn't recognise 'the moves'."  
"That's because I've never had to pull 'the moves'" he laughed.  
"Is that right?" she put her hands on her hips. "I recall a few moves…. That wandering hand down my back when you helped me wire up for a bust? Or what about the 'ant' on my cheek? Or should we go for the really obvious one…catching me as I fell off the top of a building?"  
"Yeah you're right. I really should have let you fall," he laughed "That was me flirting with you for sure."  
"I knew it" she grinned. "We're OK now…right? You don't still hate me?"  
"Never did. Was bloody pissed off at you, but I'm over it now."  
She smiled, climbing across the seats when they got a cab, giving the driver her address.

* * *

"Did you want to come in? I've got no beer but I've got a bottle of red that needs to be drunk."  
He nodded, fixing up the driver as he pulled up in front of Graces.  
Grace got out, walking ahead to unlock the door. "Um…excuse the mess" she apologised, seeing the toys strewn around the living room. "I didn't expect visitors."  
Josh took her hand gently, turning her back to face him, "Forget it."  
She let out a breath and shook her head. "Wine right? I'll go grab some glasses," pulling her hand away she went into the kitchen grabbing a bottle from the fridge.  
Josh sank into her lounge, throwing a toy truck onto the ground that he'd just sat on. "Ah Gracie, I think Thomas has a dent in him now."  
"I don't think that was you. Mummy stepped on him the other day. He hasn't noticed, my foot did though," she laughed coming back into the lounge room with a bottle of wine and two glasses, sitting on her feet on the lounge beside him before pouring them both a glass.  
Josh laughed taking the wine off her and sipping his glass. "Did you have a good night?"  
"Yeah I did" she smiled. "It was good to get out again. It's been a while."  
"You should do it more often. I know you've got a kid now but you still need to make some time to do things for you."  
"I do… "  
"Like what?"  
"I do a job that I love. It makes a huge difference. I was working in dispatch when we moved to Sydney, driving myself crazy with stupid phone calls. I was only there for three months and I had to go off early and I started back there part time when Justin turned two but I hated it. I was so bored. Hearing the callouts and not being able to do anything was just a pain in the butt."  
'I meant socially" he laughed.  
"We barely had time for a social life before I moved to Sydney," Grace laughed. "No. Anytime I get now I should be with Justin. God knows I'm out too much as it is."  
"Funny… I remember us having some very social times."  
She laughed at him, "Yeah I know… it's all such a blur now though. Like, sometimes I think those few months were all just a dream."  
"Good dreams Gracie."  
"The best" she whispered, reaching forward for her glass. "Good times" she added smiling.  
Josh moved his hand to rest on her knee, squeezing it gently. "Were you sick?"  
"When I went off early?" she checked as Josh nodded. "Yeah I was. I got pretty sick and they ended up diagnosing pre eclampsia. I was useless at work so had to go off and was in hospital from seven months on bed rest. God I was bored, and scared, and resentful…but mostly just bored" she added with a laugh. "Lucky he was born a few weeks early because I might have killed someone."  
"Resentful?"  
She nodded. "It's horrible isn't it? I like to blame it on exhaustion…but it wasn't…not really. I'd gone from this amazing job where I was on a constant adrenaline rush and had fallen in love with a wonderful guy who showed me a side of life I'd never experienced before, to a subdural haematoma, in a hospital bed, telling my husband that I was leaving him, hoping to start a new life with this spunky guy, to all of a sudden being pregnant in a new city with no friends, no real job and resenting the baby, and Conor for making me so sick and just miserable. "  
"It's not horrible… I mean. You love your son, right?"  
"More than anything else in this world Josh. The second he was born any resentment was forgotten. The last eight months had been worth it. I don't think I ever really forgave Conor though. We were never the same after I told him. We were never going to be. He knew I was only staying with him for Justin's' sake."  
"So what happened? Justin would have been almost three when you moved back here?"  
Grace gulped down the last of her wine, pouring herself another glass. "We fell into a routine. I banned sex when I started having complications in the pregnancy… it was just an excuse really…but it worked, and after Justin was born I was even less interested. I'd deliberately fall asleep in the nursery or on the lounge most nights just to avoid having to go to our room. Eventually I just put a couch in the nursery and slept on that. He…he hated it….which I do understand. It wasn't his fault either...we'd never been the same since I told him about you and Justin had just pushed us further apart."  
"Is that all?" he asked, knowing there was more to the story.  
"Yeah… Oh my God I can't believe I'm telling you about my sex life with Conor. But yes, we just grew apart and I decided to move closer to Mums."  
"So tonight…and you freaking out when I held your wrist?"  
"God you are such a copper!" she brushed it off, having another mouthful. "I'm sure you can fill in the blanks."  
Josh gritted his teeth, feeling the rage boil inside him. "If he laid a finger on you…"  
"You will let it slide… for me" she told him firmly. "You of all people getting involved… it would only make it worst. Although he already thinks I'm down here 'shacked up' with you."  
"You seriously expect me not to deck him?"  
"I will seriously deck you if you try. I know how you work…and you don't scare me. I'd hit you!"  
"I scared you a few months ago."  
"Yeah you did…but you weren't talking to me then and you were a different kind of mad. I thought for a minute you'd changed as well. Conor…he was never someone that I thought would be a threat to me. He was so gentle when I married him, even when you knew him. He just, I think he got jealous. Every guy I spoke to was another fight. I made an effort with him for the first few months in Sydney but then I was sick and then…I just didn't care. I threw everything into Justin and he was jealous of his own son. I still remember the look on his face when he realised he'd actually really hurt me. He scared himself that night. I think he was more scared than I was."  
"He broke your arm?" Josh checked.  
"Yeah" she nodded, cradling it again instinctively. "We were having an argument and he caught me off guard. I still can't believe I didn't react quicker. I don't even think he meant to strike me."  
"So you left? Please tell me you left that night Gracie…"  
"Ummm"  
"Oh God you didn't stay" he asked, feeling the anger rise again. "Grace!"  
"I knew he wasn't going to hit me again. The next part was my fault…I gave him the impression we could work things out while I organised for Justin and I to move to Sydney. When I told him a few weeks later that we were leaving the next day…things went downhill."  
"How?"  
Graces face fell as she remembered, tears flooding her eyes. "Justin disappeared."  
"He disappeared? How? You lost him?"  
She shook her head, reaching over for a box of tissues grabbing one. "No… he was kidnapped. I have never been so scared in my life Josh. For seventy-two hours my baby was gone. He was thirty months, three weeks and two days old." Grace pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them to her body.  
Josh slipped his arm around her back, rubbing her shoulders. "You don't have to tell me anymore Grace. It's ok. You've got him back and he's safe and he's happy."  
She shook her head, continuing. "Conor…he was just as shocked as I was. I was a mess Josh...I mean, you've never seen me like I was in those few days. I was frantic. I remember begging to be allowed to join the task force. And then…I started getting interviewed. They were asking me if I'd kidnapped my own child, they found out about our airline tickets and thought it was me."  
"…Conor?"  
She nodded. "Oh God… " she dropped her face into her knees, her body shaking with sobs. It was three long minutes before she composed herself enough to continue. "He kidnapped his own child…left him alone…in the cold…in some rental in western Sydney to prove that I needed him around or something. To scare me? I honestly don't know what he was trying to do. He said he needed us, and that I needed him. For those three days he got what he wanted, I cried on his shoulder. He wouldn't have wanted to harm him…he loves him…but I don't know… I really don't know what he wanted to achieve."  
"You've got him back Grace. He's healthy and he's happy and he's with his mother who loves him to death."  
She nodded. "Yeah… I'm sorry" she sniffed. "I wasn't going to tell you. I think I've had too much wine. I try not to think about it."  
"I'm glad you did. It explains a lot. What happened to Conor?"  
" He was arrested but he's got no record and it was his child… he got community service. Which I agree with…he wouldn't survive in gaol. And he's not a bad person. But I took the matter to court the following day. I was granted full custody. We moved the following week. I haven't spoken to him, my lawyer deals with him now. I know he wants to visit soon. I'm not going to object, he loves his son, but it will be so closely supervised it'll be worse than Big Brother."  
"You're more generous than I would be."  
"No… I'm not. I'm bloody pissed off but Justin needs to know his father. And despite everything, he's not a bad man. I think I drove him to it. My brothers said they'd take Justin for me. Conor won't do anything with them around."  
"Grace this isn't your fault. How he acted was completely irrational. Maybe we shouldn't have done what we did but it doesn't give him the right to rough you up or to kidnap your child. Stop feeling guilty."  
"I can't help it" she admitted.  
"You've never let go of the guilt from being with me, have you? Gracie…"  
She looked up at him, her eyes still puffy from her tears "I've never let go of you," she admitted.

Josh reached out, his thumb gently brushing a tear off her cheek before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers, his right arm snaking around her neck as her lips responded to his, pulling her closer into him.  
Grace pressed her tongue against his lips, forcing them open so she could connect more deeply with him, her own arms wrapping around him in a desperate attempt to get closer.  
After several moments of frantic contact they separated, both breathing heavily as Grace rested her forehead against his. "So I'm a MILF hey?" she asked cheekily, her breath warm against his cheek.  
"That's right" he confirmed, loosening his grip around her neck, and kissing her again, moving his arm down to her back as he lowered her onto the couch. Her own arms reached frantically for his shirt, pulling it over his head in an effort to reach the familiar muscular body she knew was below it. Once free of its constraints Josh pushed her down onto the lounge, kissing her harder as Graces hands ran over the freshly exposed skin, reacquainting herself with the body she had craved for four years.  
Josh's hands moved lower, slipping up under the soft white lace of her dress and resting on her hip bones, tracing their form as her hand moved into his hair, her fingers running over his scalp sending a shiver down his spine.  
"This needs to come off Grace" he murmured.  
Grace groaned in response, her arm moving back down to Josh's neck, looping around as her other arm pushed herself back into a seated position. Josh's hands swiftly moving to the zip at the back undoing it and lifting the dress over her head before swallowing hard at the sight of the matching white lace bra and panties set.  
Allowing herself only a brief second of enjoyment at his expression Grace arched her back, leaning back against the side of the couch pulling Josh down with her. Josh swallowed again, taking in the body that had changed significantly since the last time he'd seen it. The muscles were tight, a sure sign of the fitness and hard work the young mother had to have completed to keep up with the physical demands of tactical response but there were now faint stretch marks, evidence of the child she had carried. Running his fingers up the lines, he paused just below her breasts, leaving his hands there as he leant down to kiss the nape of her neck.  
Grace had frozen as she felt his eyes and then his hands examining the changes in her body, but quickly found herself moaning again as his lips moved down her neck in obvious approval. Her own hands moved to his pants, undoing his fly as Josh slipped his behind her to release the catch on her bra.  
"Not here" she whimpered as his lips trailed further south to the sensitive skin of her breasts. "My room."  
He nodded, easily picking her up, Graces legs instinctively wrapping around his waist and her arms tightly around his neck. Josh slowly walking backwards following Graces instructions to the bedrooms, kicking his pants off as he entered the room, setting Grace delicately down on the mattress in front of him.


	4. Chapter 4

Good Evening all,  
Please enjoy the fourth and final chapter of 'A New Start'. Sorry it has taken a few days to post; work has been disgustingly busy of late.

* * *

**A New Start Chapter 4**

Grace was in the kitchen in panties and a singlet flicking through the newspaper with a coffee in her hand when Josh got up the next morning.  
"Hey" she smiled, looking up. "There's coffee on the bench?"  
He grinned, wearing his jeans from the night before but without a shirt, pecking her on the lips as he moved to grab a cup. "Thought you might have done a runner on me?"  
She shook her head "Narh. But I did get up so you could make a quiet escape if that's what you want…"  
"I wouldn't do that to ya."  
"It'd be ok" she reassured him. "It's messier than it used to be."  
Josh laughed "You're not married this time Gracie."  
"Oh...yeah" she laughed. "Um...there's fruit, yogurt, cereal…toast?"  
"What time are you getting Justin?" he checked.  
"Um… mid-morning?"  
"How's a greasy bacon and egg roll from Smitty's sound?"  
Grace grinned. "Ingenious. I'll go pull some clothes on."  
"Damn" he laughed as she got up. "You've still got it Gracie," he called out after her as she walked back to her room. She giggled, shaking her arse at him before disappearing into the bedroom.  
Grace came back out a few minutes later in jeans and a loose fitting top, her hair brushed out, still relatively straight from the night before, having taken a couple of minutes to remove the makeup that had stayed on overnight. "All set" she smiled grabbing her bag.  
Josh had pulled a shirt on, having put the mugs of coffee into the sink. "C'mon then."

Ten minutes later they pulled up outside a small takeaway store that they used to frequent in the early hours a nightshift, Josh ordering two of the rolls and another two large coffees, the two wandering to the park across the road to eat. Grace lifting herself up to sit on the table with Josh climbing up beside her.  
"Good?" he asked.  
Grace nodded, chewing quickly as she was caught with a mouthful. "Amazing. My head feels better already." They ate in silence for a couple more minutes before Grace turned back to him, "We're OK right?"  
"Yep" he bit into his roll again.  
"That was convincing" she laughed nervously.  
"Gracie" he took her free hand. "We're always going to be OK."  
She smiled at him "I hope so. I didn't want things to be awkward."  
"I just shouted you breakfast" he teased, "I thought that was a gesture of affection?"  
"Is that right?" she laughed.  
"I'm not saying I'm ready to play happy families right away…but I've thought about it, a lot Grace. Not just last night but ever since you got back… I think we proved last night that what we had is still there. Gracie, I still love ya. And I reckon any kid of yours is going to be irresistible as well."  
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" she double checked, surprised.  
"That I want to give this a go? Properly this time? Yes."  
"It'll be different…I have different priorities now. I get very little 'me' time, even less 'us' time" she tried to explain.  
"So we'll be watching movies on the lounge instead of at the theatre. We'll be building sandcastles on the beach instead of skinny dipping. We never did all that anyway. Grace, I can handle this if you can. I want to be with you."  
She took a minute to get her thoughts together before giving him a small nod.  
"Is that a yes?" he asked, squeezing her hand.  
"It's a yes" she grinned, turning to kiss him.  
Josh kissed her back, grinning when they broke apart. "I feel like a bloody teenager."  
"I feel dizzy… but that could still be the wine" she laughed. "I thought I'd lost you forever when I moved…and when I came back I didn't expect you to ever talk to me again. But last night…that was amazing Josh."  
"Best birthday ever" he grinned, wiping some sauce off her nose. "Speaking of which…I now have two football tickets. Would you like to go to the game with me next weekend? Bring Justin. Kids are allowed on laps aren't they?"  
"I'd love to" she smiled. "I better get you a better present if I'm going to take half of it."  
"Trust me Grace, you gave me the best present you could give me last night."

* * *

Both Grace and Josh cooled things off a bit over the next week, TR being bombarded with nuisance calls that kept the whole unit busy but uninspired, the two riding separately for much of the week.  
"So…tomorrow night?" Grace turned to grin at Josh when they were stopped at traffic lights on Thursday afternoon, only the second time they'd worked together all week. "You still taking me to the game to watch your team lose?"  
"Oh that's right. You support the enemy, don't you?"  
She nodded firmly. "Born and bred."  
"Maybe I should change my mind about taking you?"

"Scared sergeant?" she grinned. "Maybe we should put a wager on it?"  
"You want to bet on our first date?" he raised his eyebrows.  
"Oh is that what it's called?"  
"It's what I'm calling it."  
"Shame…" she trailed off, biting her lip playfully as she turned left at the lights.  
"What is?"  
"I don't put out on first dates!"  
Josh laughed "I'll just have to see what I can do about changing your mind then."  
"I could make an exception…if you were to pick me up."  
"Deal!" he grinned. "You're a hard woman Grace Reid."  
"Hard…but totally worth it" she batted her eyelashes dramatically, snapping back to work as they were called out.

Graces front door was opened by a young girl in her early twenties the following afternoon when Josh arrived. She grinned at him looking him up and down before speaking. "You must be Josh….Gracie's right…you're hot."  
"NESSA!" Grace yelled down the hallway. "Way to be subtle" she laughed, coming out of her room hopping as she tried to put a boot onto her left foot. "Josh, this is Nessa my Nanny. She doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut." She leant in to kiss him briefly before steadying herself on his shoulder as she pulled her shoe on properly.  
"Not my fault you're gaga over him" Nessa grinned.  
Josh looked slightly overwhelmed before laughing. "It's nice to meet ya Nessa. Gracie's said a few things about you too."  
"All amazing, I'm sure" she laughed. "If you're dressed I might head off?" Nessa checked with Grace who nodded.  
"Sure, have a good weekend. Thanks for sticking me in it."  
"Anytime, Bye Justin," she waved at the little boy who had walked into the lounge room to see what all the noise was about.  
Josh nodded slightly towards him as Nessa left, Grace giving Joshs hand a squeeze before going over to pick Justin up.  
"Justin, this is my friend Josh. He's taking us to the football tonight. Say hello."  
"I play footy" he smiled shyly, cuddling into Graces side.  
"With your Mum?" Josh checked. "Do you win?"  
He nodded, his little arms wrapping around his mother's neck.  
"He cheats. Like you" Grace laughed at Josh putting him down. "Go and get your shoes and we'll go" she told him, turning back to Josh as he ran off to get them. Wearing jeans and her teams jersey Grace kissed Josh properly this time. "Thank you for doing this. Don't be nervous. He's not that hard to impress. He's three."  
"Easy for you to say. I know nothing about kids…do they like beer?"  
She laughed "No. They don't, but Mum does. It'll be fine Josh. He'll see how happy I am around you and he'll relax."  
Josh nodded as Justin came running back into the room with his shoes, smiling as he watched Grace sit down in front of him putting them on before hoisting him back onto her hip and grabbing an oversized handbag and the pram, balancing everything like a professional. "Let me help?" he offered.  
"You can lock up" she laughed tossing him the keys. "Thanks."

Once they were settled in the stadium Grace relaxed, Justin sitting in Graces lap happily watching the mascots on the field.  
"Hey Justin…What do we do when we score?" Grace asked, winking at Josh.  
Justin looked at her blankly for a moment before Grace threw her hands up. He giggled, throwing his into the air as well and yelling "Woohooooooo" he grinned proudly.  
Josh laughed "That's right. And what do we do when Mummy's team scores?" he asked.  
Justin looked at Grace confused, looking back at Josh when his mother shrugged.  
Josh turned his thumbs down "Booooooooo" he groaned.  
The toddler laughed copying Josh's actions.  
"Good boy. Oh we're going to have some fun tonight" Josh grinned at Grace. "I believe I just converted your son."  
Justin was in giggles for most of the game, getting confused and half the time screaming for Josh's team the other half for Grace, booing whenever he was instructed and just generally reacting to whatever noise was going on around him.

"My son's a traitor" Grace sighed dramatically as they walked out after the game in which her team had lost, Justin already half asleep in the stroller.  
Josh grinned, "Your son is fun!"  
"My son's going to sleep through the night he is that tired. We might be lucky."  
"I thought they only woke at night as babies."  
Grace laughed. "We're pretty good most nights now. It's the monsters we worry about these days."  
"So no scary stories before bed?"  
"That's your choice. I'll make you get up to him."  
"Right. No scary stories," he confirmed with a laugh.

"It's funny seeing you as a Mum" Josh smiled, pulling her into his arms as she sat down on the lounge later that night after putting Justin to bed. "I mean…I've known for a while…but this is the first time I've seen you doing Mum things. You have a kid Grace. A mini you. Who depends on you for food and safety and everything…"  
She turned to him, "Are you freaking out on me?"  
"Not at all. It's just different. I haven't had much to do with kids."  
"You were good with him tonight. He liked you."  
"I actually had fun. I had these images of him screaming all night, or throwing a tantrum everytime I touched his Mum."  
Grace smiled cuddling in closer to him. "He's three Josh. He doesn't care. If I'm happy with you touching me…which funnily enough, I am, he's ok with it too. Wait ten years, then see how he feels with a man touching me. '_Ew gross, Mum's having sex'_ " she mocked laughing.  
"You really see us together in ten years?" he asked, tucking her hair behind her ears affectionately, kissing the top of her hair softly.  
"Is it too soon?" she asked nervously.  
"Nup. I love ya Gracie. I always have. If, in ten years' time, I wake up and you're lying beside me I'd be a very happy man."  
"I never stopped loving you" she whispered, reaching a hand out, tracing his lips with her index finger. "Ever."

"Mummy?" Josh woke up to the small voice standing in the doorway, confused for a moment before working out where he was, very grateful that the two had dressed before falling asleep, sitting up to greet Justin.  
"Mummy's still asleep mate. Do you remember me?"  
He nodded grinning. "You're Josh!"  
"Yeah that's right. How about some breakfast?" He got up carefully, letting Grace sleep a bit longer. "I'm starving."  
Justin nodded, "Why are you in Mummy's bed?"  
"I was tired and Mummy said I could stay" he tried, hoping that Justin would accept that as a valid answer.  
Justin thought about it for a moment and then nodded "OK."  
Josh grinned, relieved. "What do you have for breakfast?"  
"Flakes!"  
"Ummm" Josh looked in the cupboard "Cornflakes?" he tried, holding out the box.  
Justin nodded eagerly. "Yes!"  
Josh poured them both bowls, Justin ending up with a bowl almost as full as what his own was. Justin grinning as he dug in, barely a quarter of the way through when Grace got up.  
"Well good morning" she laughed kissing Justin on the forehead before going over to kiss Josh briefly on the lips. "That's a big bowl of cornflakes Mister. Didn't you tell Josh that was too much?"  
"No." Justin shook his head. "Josh has more."  
Grace laughed sitting on Josh's knee, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Josh is lots bigger than you."  
"I'm big!" he protested, shovelling another spoonful into his mouth as if to prove a point.  
"Sorry" Josh apologised. "He said he was hungry."  
"Don't be sorry. It's funny. He'll stop before he makes himself sick."  
"I told ya I'm not great with kids."  
"No, you did good." She laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "He's only eating it so he can be like you, you know that right?"  
"Are you saying I impressed?"  
"I'm saying you did," she laughed.  
"That was easy. Kids are easy."  
Grace rolled her eyes. "You watch it or I'll call you to deal with a tantrum."  
He kissed her neck, "I've dealt with yours for a long time."  
"Bit different. You can't calm him down quite the same way."

Josh spent most of Saturday with Grace and Justin, Justin hanging off Josh's every word, trying hard to be independent and be a 'big boy' in front of Josh. Grace spent most of the day trying not to laugh at her son showing off, sitting back between Josh's legs on the stairs leading down to her backyard as Justin busied himself on the swing set.  
Josh instantly wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting lightly on her abs. "You reckon you'd have another one day when we're married?"  
Grace jumped, her head snapping around to look at him. "When we're married?" she repeated in shock.  
"Yeah. Not tomorrow or anything, but one day. What do ya think?"  
"Are you proposing to me?" she laughed in shock.  
"Sorta."  
"Sorta?" she laughed. "No. No way. You can't 'sorta' propose Josh."  
"Alright, fine. Gracie, will you marry me?" he asked more seriously.  
Graces jaw dropped, "You're not mucking around…"  
Josh shook his head, "I love ya. You love me. That hasn't changed in four years."  
"It's too soon Josh. We've only just started seeing each other again. You've only just met Justin. I can't just drop everything and have fun like we used to, I have responsibilities. I have bad habits. I can be damn annoying," she babbled in shock.  
He laughed, shaking his head. "You're being bloody annoying now," he told her, kissing her softly. "Look, you don't have to answer now…just…that's where I'm thinking, that's all. Have a think about it. The offers on the table, you can get back to me."  
She nodded, looking up as Justin called out for them as he flipped over on the monkey bars. "Josh, look at me! Josh!"  
"Be careful Justin" she warned, sitting forward as Josh got up.  
"He's 100% your son Gracie," Josh laughed, going over to make sure he didn't slip off. "That's pretty brave Justin. Reckon you could teach me some tricks?"  
Grace stood up and went inside to start on dinner, the smile still plastered on her face. She couldn't give Josh the answer he wanted to hear that day, but she knew in time she'd know just what to say.

* * *

Fin.

* * *

Well, what did you think? I know I kind of left it up in the air, but this way there is room there for a sequel if there is demand for it.


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